📊 Full nutrition facts — per 100g
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily value | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 354 kcal | 18% | |
| Carbohydrates | 15.2g | 5% | |
| Dietary fibre | 9.0g | 32% | |
| Sugars | 6.2g | — | |
| GI (Glycaemic Index) | ~42 — Low | — | |
| Protein | 3.3g | 7% | |
| Total fat | 33.5g | — | |
| Lauric acid (MCT) | ~20g | — | |
| Manganese | 1.5mg | 75% | |
| Copper | 0.44mg | 22% | |
| Iron | 2.4mg | 13% | |
| Selenium | 10.1µg | 14% |
Based on Australian NRV. Source: FSANZ Australian Food Composition Database.
📈 Glycaemic index (GI)
💊 Key vitamins & minerals
✅ Health benefits
Coconut's dominant fatty acid is lauric acid (~20g per 100g fresh flesh), which the body converts to monolaurin — a monoglyceride with demonstrated antimicrobial activity against bacteria (including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus), viruses (including HIV and herpes) and fungi (Candida) in laboratory studies. This is the biological basis for the longstanding use of coconut products in traditional medicine across tropical cultures. Human breast milk is the only other significant dietary source of lauric acid.
The saturated fats in coconut are predominantly medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are metabolised differently from long-chain fats. MCTs are absorbed directly from the gut into the portal vein and delivered to the liver for rapid energy conversion, rather than being packaged into chylomicrons and entering the lymphatic system. This faster metabolic route means MCTs provide more readily available energy and are less likely to be stored as body fat than equivalent long-chain fats. Coconut oil's MCT content is the basis of its use in ketogenic diets and MCT oil supplements.
Coconut flesh provides 75% of the daily manganese requirement per 100g — making it one of the best dietary sources of this mineral essential for bone matrix formation, cartilage synthesis and the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Combined with copper (22% RDI — essential for collagen cross-linking and bone mineralisation), coconut flesh offers meaningful support for bone and connective tissue health.
Fresh coconut flesh provides 9g of dietary fibre per 100g — primarily insoluble fibre from the coconut's cell walls that promotes bowel regularity, feeds beneficial gut bacteria and contributes to satiety. Desiccated coconut (when unsweetened) retains this fibre concentration. This high fibre content, combined with the high fat content, makes coconut one of the most satiating foods per serving.
⚠️ Who should limit or avoid
Coconut flesh is very high in saturated fat (33g/100g, primarily lauric acid). The cardiovascular impact of coconut saturated fat remains genuinely debated in nutritional science. Traditional populations consuming coconut as a dietary staple typically show favourable cardiovascular profiles, but these are confounded by other lifestyle factors. Current Australian Heart Foundation guidance recommends limiting saturated fat intake — people with existing cardiovascular disease or high LDL cholesterol should discuss coconut consumption with their doctor or dietitian.
Coconut flesh is calorie-dense at 354 kcal per 100g. Coconut milk adds approximately 230 kcal per 100ml. Coconut cream is even richer. People monitoring calorie intake should measure coconut-based ingredients carefully, particularly in curries, smoothies and baked goods where coconut products can add substantial hidden calories.
Despite being classified as a tree nut by the FDA in the US, coconut is botanically a drupe (stone fruit) rather than a true tree nut. However, cross-reactivity with tree nut allergens is documented. People with tree nut allergies should consult their allergist before consuming coconut products. Coconut allergy itself is rare.
🛒 How to select & buy coconut
Shake the coconut and listen for sloshing liquid — a good coconut has plenty of coconut water inside. No sound means the coconut is dried out or cracked internally. The three 'eyes' at one end should be firm and dry with no mould. The shell should be intact with no cracks or wet spots. Smell at the eyes — any sour or fermented smell indicates spoilage. A fresh coconut feels heavy for its size.
Fresh coconut flesh: best flavour, highest nutrition, highest fat and fibre. Desiccated/shredded coconut: choose unsweetened varieties — sweetened adds significant sugar. Coconut cream (canned): richest, approximately 35% fat, for curries and desserts. Coconut milk (canned): 17–20% fat, for soups and cooking. Coconut water: low calorie, electrolyte drink, not interchangeable with milk or cream. Each has distinct nutritional profiles — the label matters.
Drain the water first: pierce two of the three eyes with a screwdriver or skewer and drain into a glass (excellent drinking coconut water). Then place the coconut on a stable surface and strike firmly around the equator with the back of a heavy knife or hammer, rotating as you strike. It will crack open cleanly. Alternatively, place in a 180°C oven for 15 minutes — the heat causes the shell to crack. The white flesh can then be levered away from the shell with a butter knife.
🧊 Storage tips & shelf life
Whole intact coconuts store remarkably well in a cool pantry for 3–6 months. Once cracked, the flesh must be used immediately or refrigerated. Desiccated coconut in a sealed bag: pantry for 6–12 months. Coconut oil: pantry indefinitely if sealed.
Fresh coconut flesh keeps 5–7 days refrigerated, submerged in coconut water or plain water to prevent drying. Coconut water deteriorates quickly after opening — refrigerate and drink within 2–3 days. Opened coconut milk/cream: use within 3–4 days. Desiccated: refrigerate in warm conditions after opening.
Grated fresh coconut freezes excellently — portion into 50g packs for smoothies, curries and baking. Coconut milk and cream freeze in ice cube trays, then bag — add direct to hot dishes from frozen. Perfect for buying fresh coconuts in bulk when on special.
📖 About coconut — complete guide
The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is so central to tropical human civilisation that it has been called the 'tree of life' across dozens of cultures from the Pacific to the Caribbean. Every part of the palm is utilised — the fruit for food and oil, the shell for charcoal and utensils, the husk fibre (coir) for rope, matting and growing medium, the palm leaves for thatching, the timber for construction, the sap for palm sugar and fermented toddy, and the roots for traditional medicine. The coconut's waterproof shell and its ability to float and survive in salt water made it uniquely capable of ocean dispersal — coconut palms colonised Pacific islands via ocean currents long before human settlement, which contributed to the persistent debate about whether the coconut's distribution is primarily natural or human-assisted.
The nutritional debate around coconut centres on its saturated fat content and the unique properties of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Lauric acid (the dominant MCT in coconut, comprising approximately 50% of coconut oil's fatty acids) behaves metabolically differently from long-chain saturated fats like palmitic and stearic acid — it raises both LDL and HDL cholesterol, with the net cardiovascular effect remaining contested. The MCT oil industry — which uses concentrated C8 and C10 fatty acids rather than the predominantly C12 lauric acid of coconut oil — has developed separately from coconut nutrition, based on the more rapid energy conversion properties of shorter-chain MCTs. Traditional populations in the Pacific, South and Southeast Asia who have consumed coconut as a dietary staple for generations typically show favourable cardiovascular markers, though the isolation of coconut's specific contribution from their broader dietary patterns is methodologically challenging.